Roomie’s cat is a sweetie. He usually sleeps with me, because I go to bed before she does. He knows not to wake up the humans. If I’m sleeping very late, he might come up to my face to see if I’m really asleep, but otherwise he stays in his spot until feet touch the floor. Then he runs off to the kitchen. (Oh, about his ‘spot’: He sleeps by me feet, which is unfortunate since I like to reposition them frequently when I sleep. He seems to find a place where he doesn’t get kicked too much, though, eventually.)
He’ll beg a bit if I’m too slow getting him food – and sometimes I don’t if there is still food in the bowl. And he nags when he thinks it’s my bedtime. Generally he’s well-behaved. When I’m working he’ll wander by and give a mew, and I’ll give him a pat and tell him he’s not forgotten. Occasionally he’ll want to jump up for attention, but I can shuffle him off to the other end of the couch and he’ll be fine with that. If I’m not working he likes to come up next to me for petting and he rubs his face on my screen.
Roomie says I let him walk all over me. Literally. When I’m reclining he likes to come up and lay on me. Makes it hard to reach the computer. Fortunately he has his ‘fort’ – the crook of my knees. He always looks so pleased when he’s there, with his paws perched on top so he can survey the living room. When he gets tired of me he’ll startle the roomie by jumping up behind her on the love seat. He likes sleeping on the back of it, especially if roomie has her blanket up there. Roomie says he purrs more loudly here than in her old place. Maybe I do spoil him. I think it’s cute that he’ll come to the door when I get home from work, or sit in my bedroom window as if waiting for me.
He’s a weirdo, though. He only likes his dry food (especially the new stuff) and his occasional ‘treat’ of wet food. He doesn’t care for ‘people food’ – not even tuna. I did give him fingernail-sized piece of chicharrón (fried pork rinds) twice, and he liked it. But he doesn’t beg for it. And he doesn’t like to play. I’ve tried to interest him in various toys, but he’s just not into them. The only thing he likes to play with is a little ‘mousie’. I wonder where they are?
Roomie got him when she was in Tennessee. She had another cat that finally had to be euthanized, and she wasn’t sure she wanted another one. But Harvey caught her attention at a shelter. She didn’t take him then, but went back. He’d been neutered and his front claws had been removed, and that sealed the deal. They charged her for neutering even though they didn’t neuter him (since he was already emasculated), and that irked her. But she said he’s worth it. He got sick several months ago, but he’s pretty healthy. He does have the occasional seizure. I don’t think I’ve seen one, unless he was on the verge last night. He seemed a little ‘drunk’ and distressed. He may have just been uncoordinated from being awakened from a nap for some petting.
Anyway, he’s a really sweet cat and I like him.
